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6 in 10 say workplace contributes to stress: Survey

Almost 70 per cent of Canadian office workers and managers report working more than 40 hours a week and this is contributing to their stress levels, according to a recent survey.

Sixty per cent of the 1,110 survey respondents said their workplace has contributed to stress, and one in five (19 per cent) has taken a stress-related leave of absence, according to the Workplace Index by Staples Business Advantage Canada. More than one-quarter (27 per cent) cite the volume of their work as the number 1 stressor in their workplace.

“Employees are working long hours just to keep up with their volume of work,” said Michael Zahra, president of Staples Business Advantage Canada. “It is the responsibility of employers to therefore provide an inclusive, welcoming environment that boosts employee productivity, increases happiness and positively impacts the bottom line.”

Forty-three per cent of Canadians say they’re working longer hours simply to catch up on work they couldn’t tackle during an eight-hour day, with 22 per cent working 11 hours or more per day, found the survey.

Sixty-six per cent of respondents said the availability of a wellness program is a selling point when looking for a new job, but 55 per cent said their workplace doesn’t offer one, according to the survey.

Seventy-one per cent of respondents said their employers do not give them access to the latest technology to help them do their job more efficiently.

The majority of survey respondents described their office as standard, plain and dull. When asked what design features they would like to see in their work spaces, Canadians cited natural light, private spaces, ergonomic furniture and flexible furniture for multiple uses as the most desired elements.